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JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015

Tom Jones The King and I WHEN TOM MET ELVIS

Cook with the Stars!

John Torode, James Martin & Mary Berry share their favourite recipes

Hewetts Solicitors Our new pension freedoms opportunities and dangers The pitfalls of playing the multi-generation housing game

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FOR ALL YOUR HOME I

EXTENSIONS Make extra space from conception to completion we can help with everything you could need.

CONSERVATORIES & ORANGERIES For that extra bit of room to enjoy all year round, bringing your garden in.

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WHEN YOUR LIFE CHANGES, YOUR BENEFITS CHANGE TOO!

It is best to tell us as soon as they happen to you so we can make sure we are paying you the correct amount of Housing Benefit or Council Tax support.

You must contact us within a calendar month of the change happening.

CALL 0118 9373707 or visit us online

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CONTENTS

18-19

10-11

8-9

12-13

14-17

INSIDE...

8-9

Northern Greece ...

City Breaks in Thessaloniki

10-11

Having the face you want after 50 ...

Lose years off your looks.

12-13

The King and I...

When Tom Jones met Elvis

14-17

Being fit and over 50 ...

Benefits of exercise

18-19

Qualified Doctor and the UK's most trusted parenting expert...

Dr Miriam Stoppard

20-21

The pitfalls of playing the multigeneration housing game..

Advice from BP Collins Solicitors

28-30 22-25

Out and About Places to visit and things to do

26-27

Our New Pension Freedoms opportunties and dangers ...

Advice from Robin Gambles

28-30

Cook with the Stars ...

John Torode, James Martin and Mary Berry show us how

46-47

How to choose the Right Home Care...

Top 10 key questions to ask.

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5

TWITTERING ON “Since the lion arrived, which is three years now, I haven’t really left the camp,” says Gruener.

“Sometimes for one night I go into the town here to organise something for the business, but other than that I’ve been here with the lion.”

The lion he has devoted himself to is Sirga - a female cub he rescued from a holding pen established by a farmer who was fed up with shooting animals that preyed on his cattle.

“The lions had killed the other two or three cubs inside the cage, and the mother abandoned the remaining cub.

She was very tiny, maybe 10 days old,” Gruener says.

Bear hug from a lion!

Just every so often along comes a story to warm your heart, this is such a story.

In 2012 Valentin Gruener rescued a young lion cub and raised it himself at a wildlife park in Botswana. It was the start of an extraordinary relationship. Now an astonishing scene is repeated each time they meet - the young lion leaps on Gruener and holds him in an affectionate embrace.

The farmer, Willy de Graaf, asked Gruener to try to save her and so he took her to a wildlife park financed by de Graaf and became her adoptive mother, “feeding her and taking care of her”.

“You have this tiny cute animal sitting there and it’s already quite feisty,” he says. “It will become about 10 times that size and you will have to deal with it.”

She’s much bigger now, but when Gruener opens her cage she still rushes to greet him - ecstatically throwing her paws around his neck.

“That happens every time I open the door. It is an amazing thing every time it happens, and it’s such a passionate thing to do for this animal to jump and give me a hug,” says Gruener.

“But I guess it makes sense. At the moment she has no other lions with her in the cage and I guess for her I’m like her species. So I’m the only friend she’s got.

Lions are social cats so she’s always happy to see me.”

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6

The companions spend their time hanging out in the Botswana bush, doing the kind of things that cats enjoy, such as lying around under trees, play-fighting, and hunting.

Graham Smith

“I don’t believe we have to teach the lion to hunt. They have this instinct like a domestic cat or even a dog that will try to hunt. Any cat will catch a bird or a mouse. The lion will catch an antelope when it gets big enough,” Gruener says.

“I’m definitely giving her that opportunity to hunt, about three times a week at the moment. Each walk takes five hours - sometimes up to nine. We sort of hunt together and I’m helping her sometimes, trying to show her how to kill something rather than catch it.”

After Sirga’s first kill Gruener wasn’t sure if it would still be safe for him to get close to the lion. But “she let me come in”, he says. Now he despatches animals the lioness fails to kill quickly enough.

“It’s a bit cruel because she will catch an antelope and hold it down, and when it gets tired she could simply go and bite it in the throat and kill it. But because it’s so exciting she’s like a cat that keeps on playing with the mouse.

“It’s not so lovely to watch when a lion has an antelope in front of her and she’s having fun playing with this antelope.”

Willy de Graaf has handed Gruener 500 hectares (two square miles) to create a “miniature park” in which Sirga can roam freely, but she will not be released into the wild. Not because she could not survive, Gruener says, but because she has lost her fear of humans.

Under those circumstances she is likely to get too close to humans, and if there is an accident she will end up getting shot. “And that’s not really the whole point of raising a lion,” Gruener says.

In the park Sirga can live like a wild lion, but remain safe, he says. “That’s the plan for her future.”

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And what of his own future? Gruener has put aside work on a PhD while he has been raising Sirga, and has hardly ever left her alone.

smokescreen which clouded a neat little piece of trickery which has nipped under the radar. Since when did a packet of twenty gaspers become 19?

“If she gets into a bigger enclosure and gets more space, and maybe another lion to give her companionship, I’m sure I would be able to leave for longer periods of time - which is required for me to finish my studies.

It happened overnight and was covered by a hefty price hike so smokers were so involved complaining about the increase that they didn’t notice the decrease in fags in the packet!

Consequently every supermarket and shop in the land is now breaking the Trades Description Act umpteen times a day by selling a packet of 19 cigarettes to everyone who asks for 20. They’re crafty these manufacturers, they even decreased the size of the number 19 so you didn’t notice it and slide it discreetly on the side of the packet and make it the size of a microdot.

“But as long as she needs me, and as long as I feel I want to be there to make her life better, I will have that as my priority.

“I doubt anything will change much between me and her.”

Fuming over changes!

We all know about the perils of smoking but those who haven’t yet kicked the habit are fuming about the

Anyway, enough of that, what about Mars bars? Have you seen one recently? Size of a matchstick they are.

Gone are the great chunks of chocolate which used to give you lockjaw, you can eat one in two bites now. Wafer thin chocolate, a smearing of filling but the

wrapper has enough ingredient listing and health warnings to choke a donkey.

And what about nuts? Large nuts, small nuts, monkey nuts and Brazil nuts, and every packet carries the stern warning, “For those with an allergy beware this product contains nuts”.

Well of course it does, that’s why I’m buying the blasted thing. Stating the obvious seems to be the norm now as we disappear in a plethora of political correctness which could frighten you into never eating or drinking again.

Who dreams up some of this stuff? I’ve actually seen packaging which contains more reading matter than the British Library and by the time you’ve read it the product has probably gone past its sell by date anyway. Failing that of course everything except washing powder now carries the instruction to refrigerate after opening and consume within three days or you’re in danger of self combusting.

Anyone know where I can get 20 fags?

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A great way to get around….

We all wish we could enjoy the health enhancing benefits cycling brings, but then there’s the but, without the hard work of course!

Well there is a way you can, hang on a minute I hear you say, “I’m over 50 and haven’t ridden a bike in years…” Well have you considered the latest mode of transport, the ebike. E-bikes, or pedelecs, look more or less like normal bicycles but have a small electric motor that can be switched on to make riding easier. You might use this when going uphill, against the wind, or carrying children or shopping. They are also useful for people who are less fit, older, or riding longer distances.

But is riding an e-bike exercise or cheating I here you say? Well Nanette Mutrie, Professor of Physical Activity for Health at the University of Edinburgh, has no doubt that e-bikes can have a health enhancing role. “When I started as a member of the steering group for this project Ventura Vienna manufactured by KTM. I was somewhat sceptical about the health benefits of electric bicycles.

However, having now tried different versions of these bikes, and having learned from the project data and European experts, I am now in no doubt that these bikes have a health enhancing role. “ In another study in 2014 by Brighton & Hove Council, results showed that 70% of people said that they would cycle more if they had an e-bike. So to all of you who wish or need to increase their levels of physical activity and fitness this low impact exercise may well be for you, and apart from that ebiking is a great way to get around.

E-motion offers expert advise, information and eCyle training to help get you started. Enjoy cycling more with an ebike!

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1

08/12/201

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7

50 Plus Travel

sponsored by

City Breaks to Thessaloniki

By Jacqueline Jeynes from Silver Travel Advisor Despite a cool evening breeze, though still very warm to us, the bars and cafĂŠs along the promenade are packed with locals enjoying the balmy evening, chatting and drinking with friends. There is a lively buzz, a friendly, vibrant atmosphere and definitely a feeling of being relaxed and safe in the city.

It is the same every evening of the week as the newly-finished 7 kmlong promenade is the focal point for people to walk, jog, cycle or simply stroll along by the sea, a live band is playing as a stage is set up for a concert next to the White Tower. This is the emblem of the city, its name referring to a prisoner there painting it white in exchange for his freedom, covering up the walls blood-stained from executions. On a brighter note, there are some impressive public sculptures and gardens along this seafront, especially the metal umbrellas in the late sunshine. There are boat trips around the port and across the bay to Agia Triada (more of 8

that later), and a little boat regularly goes along the edges clearing any debris.

Thessaloniki in northern Greece is a city not always associated with art, food and wine, or as a cultural centre yet it is steeped in history as a geographically strategic point for this region. It is an ideal base to explore the area, particularly for those interested in the culture of Ancient Greece, as well as the superb fine dining.

We visited in the first week of September, with temperatures around 25° and bright sunshine.

Flight time is just over 3 hours from Manchester airport and it takes around half an hour to get to the city from Macedonia Airport. The first impressions as you drive into the city are of old buildings, not architecturally beautiful as many are 20th century structures and everywhere covered in graffiti, which relates to social comment on the severe financial

troubles Greece suffered a few years ago. Since then, a new Mayor has allocated large surfaces at the sides of specific buildings for graffiti artists to work on so eventually much of this will be removed.

However, this first impression should be ignored! Walk around narrow, cobbled streets down to the sea, the old port having been revived with new museums, a photography gallery, cinema and various cultural centres for different exhibitions, events and celebrations throughout the year.

This is also the favourite spot for dreamy-eyed young (and old?) lovers to stretch out and talk into the night.

Sounds good to me.

We had the privilege of being shown a room at the 5* Excelsior Hotel – what a beautiful, stylish place. It is a splendid old building where original, ornate architectural features have been retained during its recent renovation. If you have an opportunity to stay there, you must.

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TRAVEL Take a half-day city tour and you will really get a feel for the history of Thessaloniki and Greece from ancient times. Located in a strategic position in the Aegian sea, there were three distinct ages of occupation from Romans, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. Given this history, there are fantastic churches, synagogues and mosques that contain preserved sections of frescoes and finelydetailed mosaics. A lot has changed over the centuries due to fires and earthquakes, exposing many new archaeological sites.

A real must is the history related to the Jewish communities in this city, particularly the devastating impact of their treatment by the Nazi troops during WWII. It is well worth having a guided tour – our guide Konstantinos was so knowledgeable – although you can explore on your own using the hop on-hop off bus number 50 that costs 2 Euros for the day. Their leaflet also suggests short walks you can do from the bus stops, see www.expertguides.gr.

Remember to visit the daily market selling all kinds of fresh fruit and vegetables plus an array of olives, of course. There is also fresh meat and fish, though I declined the invitation to take a sheep’s head home with me.

And the three famous pastry/sweet shops are truly divine! We tried a small sample shot of luscious, rich chocolate and a silver-wrapped chocolate cigar.

For lunch, try the fish and chips at Bakaliarakia (a small restaurant in the Ladadika area), large flat slices of fried potato and crispy batter around tasty white cod, served with thick creamy garlic sauce. An afternoon nap is then recommended.

This is a big, bustling city full of life and with plenty to see. The traffic is a bit hectic so you have to have your wits about you, but it is fine if you keep to the proper crossing places. It is not ideal for anyone with mobility issues or wheelchair-users, although across the Bay it is quieter and easier to get around. However, if you love to explore during city breaks, this is a great place to visit.

For city breaks to Thessaloniki Silver Travel Advisor recommends Kirker Holidays who offer a range of short breaks and tailor-made holidays throughout Greece and the rest of Europe. Prices start from £598 per person for a three night holiday to Thessaloniki, including return flights, private car transfers and accommodation with breakfast sharing a double room. Kirker clients also receive the exclusive Kirker Guide Notes to restaurants and sightseeing and the services of the Kirker Concierge to arrange private guides, book excursions or museum tickets and to reserve a table at a recommended restaurant.

For more information or reservations, contact Kirker Holidays on 020 7593 2283 or visit www.kirkerholidays.com

Silver Travel Advisor is a travel review, information and advice website exclusively for over 50’s, packed with articles, suggestions, tips and ideas. For free and independent travel advice as well as reviews about holidays, hotels, restaurants and days out, please visit www.silvertraveladvisor.com or email service@silvertraveladvisor.com. It’s free to register as a member of Silver Travel Advisor, and you could win a fabulous holiday prize.

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9

Having The Face You want

After 50...

WHEN so many celebrities – and ordinary people – just don’t look their age these days we are all keen to look the best we possibly can.

And simply being over 50 is nothing to do with not having the face you’d like.

After all, an 80 year-old recently hit the headlines for having £12,000 worth of procedures including a facelift – and she just wanted to look in her 70s again!

As in everything to do with the way we look, diet and exercise can make a big difference. Smoking and over-indulging in alcohol definitely show up in your face, as well as other parts of your body. And too much exposure to the sun is definitely bad for your skin, especially your face – it ages skin prematurely and adds lines.

Smoking in particular leaves a legacy of extra lines that no woman – or man – really wants. And too much alcohol swiftly leads to a puffy look around the eyes and an unhealthy pallor in the cheeks that no amount of make-up will effectively hide.

A healthy diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, drinking plenty of water, taking daily exercise and getting enough sleep will give you a healthy glow that you definitely can’t buy in a bottle.

However, even if you’re following all the “rules” and doing your best to look after yourself, Nature may not be very kind to you and your face. It’s very hard to escape ageing completely – and, let’s be honest, we don’t want to lose that individual personality reflected in our face, either.

A long-term routine of caring properly for your skin always pays dividends. There’s no substitute for a really good skincare routine. Moisturise each morning and, if you wear make-up, cleanse properly each night and use an enriching cream.

10

Try not to screw up your eyes. If you’re doing this, it’s worth checking whether your sight is OK or whether you need stronger glasses or contact lenses. Lines come naturally without you adding a few more by contracting the muscles around your eyes!

The same applies to frowning: try not to do this, or purse your lips too much. All these activities encourage those annoying lines and furrows.

If you’re really unhappy with what you see in the mirror each morning, you may be considering facial improvement procedures. Mark Norfolk, Clinical Director at Transform Cosmetic Surgery explained that the five most popular procedures in the UK are blepharoplasty or eye-lift, facelift, Botox, dermal fillers and ultherapy – a non-surgical way to lift, tone and tighten skin.

that can make someone feel older than their years and possibly self-conscious.

Depending on the condition of your skin, though, added Mark, non-surgical injectable procedures like Botox and dermal fillers allow lines to be softened and areas filled out where volume has been lost.

Results from these types of procedures can be seen a week after the treatment “and are very effective,” he stated.

“Patients will see significant improvement to their skin and are advised to have repeat treatments every four to five months to maintain results.”

A facelift will work best on someone who has loose skin on their face. It tightens the facial muscles to restore definition and works to smooth out deep lines.

Facelifts can also be combined with a neck lift, and the surgeon will advise accordingly. Added Mark: “We see amazing results here for this particular procedure – an overall more youthful and fresher appearance that is natural and long-lasting.”

But, we do need to be clear what we really want from these procedures.

Explained Mark: “It’s really important for anyone considering surgery or nonsurgical procedures to be aware that, with any treatment, the key objective is to improve and enhance the patient’s current features – not to make them look like someone else or 20 years younger.”

In other words, the best results will make you look really well so that people ask “Have you been away?” or remark that you look particularly good. It’s unrealistic to think we can just scythe away the years by investing money in surgery or other procedures.

Lines and wrinkles, lack of muscle tone and skin elasticity are all signs of ageing

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BEAUTY It’s vital to select your surgeon carefully, opting for a clinic with an established reputation and where consultations are carried out carefully. Unrealistic expectations on the part of the patient may be one reason conscientious surgeons will refuse to perform a procedure on a patient.

Women over 50 are soaring with confidence Participants in the survey chose Sandra Bullock as their top female celebrity inspiration from a list of stars aged over 50, while Oprah Winfrey claimed second place and Shania Twain and Elle Macpherson shared third place.

Your smile is another vitally important area of your face, and not having a nice smile may have a dramatically negative effect on your looks and confidence.

Fortunately, modern dentistry means that lost or rotten natural teeth can be replaced in various ways. Dentures can restore the features of the face or having a bridge fitted.

Dental implants for single or full mouth restoration work really well. Once the dentist has established that the patient is a suitable candidate for implants, taking into account any prior gum or bone loss, implant placement can take just a few hours. There is a recovery period of three months afterwards but results are very effective.

Eyebrows are another important facial feature that can make a difference. If you have very pale eyebrows or have badly overplucked them in the past, it’s worth thinking about having permanent eyebrows tattooed on.

This is a simple procedure and, in the hands of experts, can swiftly lead to beautiful brows that really frame your face. It’s not painful – certainly no more than plucking your brows – and lasts for quite a time before the colour fades and they have to be re-done. A faded lip-line can also be enhanced this way to improve the shape of your lips and suggest fullness.

Don’t forget, too, that sensible and clever use of make-up can always enhance your looks. The key is to use the right textures and a couple of colours. Everything should be brightening and enhancing, making skin tone and texture look their best.

A concealer around the eyes and nose work well to disguise dark circles or any redness. A light base, with blusher used higher on the cheeks as you grow older, and very light powder all add up to an attractive facial appearance.

Brown eyeshadow is always better than grey or black, which are instantly ageing, and keep to warmer colours for all your make-up. Best of all, radiate confidence and inner glow to help combat the years!

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Melissa Hughes, marketing executive at Daxon commented on the UK's positive attitude: "It's really fantastic that so many women associate being over 50 with increased confidence and worry less about what other people think - and stylish, successful, self-assured stars like Sarah Jessica Parker and Sandra Bullock are perfect examples of how fab 50 can be!"

Style confidence and worrying less over others' opinions at all-time high for many women over 50.

40% of women attribute an increase in confidence to being over 50, a new poll by womenswear retailer Daxon has discovered.

The overwhelmingly optimistic picture painted by the survey of 1,405 online shoppers highlights the UK's positive attitude to getting older.

Worrying less about other people's opinions (30%) and feeling more positive (19%) came out as the top qualities women feel they have developed since turning 50.

Additional insight into how women feel at 50 further reaffirmed that women associate the age with an increase in confidence as a further 18% of women also said they feel less self-conscious about looks.

Melissa added: "As a brand whose mission is to help women look and feel great, we're excited that so many women already feel their age gives them confidence, including the confidence to dress to please themselves, not others. That's the perfect combination for trying new things - whether it's the season's latest print or a new look for work. 50-plus women can not only feel comfortable, but feel wonderful in whatever they wear!"

Female celebrities have been outspoken about reaching their fifth decade: First Lady Michelle Obama told Parade Magazine: "I have never felt more confident in myself, more clear on who I am as a woman".Australian supermodel Elle Macpherson promotes a more inclusive view of beauty, saying: "I don't believe that youth equals beauty or beauty equals youth".

The research found that women link feeling more confident with fashion (10%), being less self-conscious about looks (18%) and feeling wiser (18%) with being aged over 50.

Daxon's poll comes shortly after one of the world's best-loved actresses, Sex and the City's Sarah Jessica Parker, celebrated her 50th birthday on March 25th. SJP now joins celebrities such as her co-star Kristin Stewart and fellow actress Sandra Bullock as they showcase 50 as a glamorous and stylish age to be.

11

CELEBRITIES

The King and I An extract from Tom Jones’ biography

by Sean Smith - Tom Jones: The Life Courtesy of HarperCollins. Available through all good book stores and online at Amazon.co.uk.

Tom couldn’t believe it when he was told Elvis and his wife Priscilla had been seen in the foyer of the Flamingo.

He thought it was a wind-up but it was true – The King and his entourage, the ‘Memphis Mafia’, had driven from Los Angeles just to see the show. They had been invited by Chris Hutchins, who knew both Colonel Tom Parker and Joe Esposito, Elvis’s road manager, and suggested they come over.

Elvis was curious to see how a performer like Tom would be received in Las Vegas, because he was seriously thinking of making a live comeback there himself.

His recording career was in the middle of a slump and he needed something to reinvigorate his career – a problem Tom would also face at a later date.

The lighting in the audience was quite dark, so Tom had to peer into the gloom to see if Elvis was really there. He had been primed by Chris, so he knew what to say if he caught sight of the man.

12

Eventually, he realised The King was in the very front row. Halfway through the show, he introduced Elvis, who stood up to take a bow, and the place erupted.

It went on for ages and ages, until Tom managed to calm everyone down. Elvis eventually sat back down and Tom said, ‘Don’t forget I’m the star here tonight.’

It was a tongue-in-cheek comment, but took some nerve: Tom was just starting his Vegas adventure, whereas Elvis was the biggest star in the world.

After the concert, Elvis and his gang went backstage to congratulate Tom in his dressing room. The ‘Mafia’ usually numbered about half a dozen or so of Elvis’s oldest friends and yes-men. If Elvis told them at breakfast that scarlet was the new colour, they would all have their cars resprayed by lunch.

Linda was at the Flamingo that evening and she sat and chatted with Priscilla.

Tom remembers Elvis saying he wanted to watch him in concert to see how he put together his act. Tom and Elvis talked about music, something they both never tired of doing.

Priscilla Presley believes that Elvis took to Tom because he was a real person – ‘someone who was down to earth that

you could talk to, that was not on an ego trip’. Tom’s show also reminded Elvis how it used to be for him: the adulation of the girls, the applause and the fantastic music. He missed it. He also liked the way Tom didn’t take it too seriously.

For his part,Tom thought the Presleys were ‘a great couple’. He gave Priscilla an autographed photograph for their daughter Lisa-Marie, who was six months old.

The first meeting went so well that Elvis invited Tom to stay at his holiday villa in Hawaii.When he arrived, Priscilla told him that her husband had popped out to buy a couple of guitars so the two of them would have something to goof around with later.After dinner, the two men enjoyed a sing-song, like a couple of enthusiastic schoolboys, belting out ‘Blue Suede Shoes’, ‘Hound Dog’ and ‘Jailhouse Rock’, as well as ‘It’s Not Unusual’ and Elvis’s favourite, ‘Green, Green Grass of Home’. They jammed together through the night. Tom said simply, ‘I’ll never forget it as long as I live.’

The two men became genuine friends. .

Tom spoke graciously of Elvis to the Daily Express: ‘I never sat at his feet looking up to him, because we regarded each other as equals. He was much too modest to be comfortable with someone who fawned around him and was never afraid to admit his own vulnerability – always the mark of the truly great.’

They were rivals, as well as friends, when Elvis began a season at the newly opened International Hotel in July 1969, which two years later was renamed the Las Vegas Hilton. Both shows were ruthlessly

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advertised. On one side of the strip the huge billboards read, ‘Elvis Presley is at the International’. On the other side, the hoardings declared,‘Tom Jones is in Town!’

Tom moved briefly to the International too, because its show- room was three times the size of the Flamingo’s. In 1971, he finally settled at Caesars Palace.

Elvis, meanwhile, stayed loyal to the Hilton, where he lived in the impressive penthouse, which became known as ‘Party Central’. The two friends would take it in turns to visit each other’s suites.

Elvis was a reality check for Tom – a stark example of a road he would go down if he didn’t look after himself. Tom tried to keep in shape. At home in the UK, it was relatively easy, thanks to his fitness complex. On the road or in Vegas, it was more difficult, but he swam and took up squash. In the eighteen months before he opened at the Flamingo, he slimmed down from fifteen to eleven and a half stone. He said goodbye to chips for ever.

He never stuffed himself with burgers or other junk food and avoided puddings, preferring a chateaubriand steak for dinner with the finest wines.

Tom didn’t drink before a concert, which was particularly important where the desert air was so dry and put a strain on his voice. His shows were a workout in themselves, because Tom finished dripping with sweat and as much as six pounds lighter. After a show, he took a long, thirty-minute shower and then enjoyed a vodka martini or opened a bottle or two of Dom Pérignon while he socialised. His friend and backing singer Darlene Love became so sick of the constant supply of vintage champagne that she loathes bubbly to this day and only has a glass if it is mixed with orange juice.

Elvis, however, struggled with his weight yo-yoing up and down. Early on, he told Tom that he took pills to stop the pounds piling on. The two men would have many discussions about the merits of drink and drugs.

During one conversation, Elvis told him that he had taken every kind of drug imaginable just to keep his ‘head together’. Elvis asked him what he took to keep sane and Tom replied simply,

‘Nothing, that’s why I feel I am sane.’

Tom’s aversion to drugs is very well known. He told Sylvie Simmons of MOJO magazine a funny story of the evening he went to a party in London thrown by Lulu.

A rock star sidled up to him and said, ‘You want to see what’s going on in the kitchen!’ Tom, being Tom, immediately thought it might be something involving one or hopefully two women. He was disappointed to see that the great excitement was a pile of white powder on the kitchen table.‘See you later,’ he said.

Elvis never took any drugs in front of Tom – he had too much respect for him.

Instead, they would be sitting down, listening to records, when Elvis would suddenly disappear into the bedroom and come out a new man. They would listen to a few more records and then the same thing would happen again.

They may have had differing opinions on drugs, but both Elvis and Tom had similar views on gambling. Although they were the bait to draw thousands of punters into the hotel casinos, they never indulged themselves. That example was not followed by their respective managers, who lost fortunes at the gaming tables. Gordon incurred heavy losses playing blackjack. He was rumoured, in one disastrous night, to have lost the whole of Engelbert’s fee for a year.

Tom just didn’t get the attraction. Why give away so easily what you had worked so hard to earn? One evening at Caesars Palace, Linda came bounding up to him and asked for some money so she and a friend could spend some time at the tables. Tom reached in his pocket and gave her $5. He advised her, ‘Don’t lose it all at once.’

Tom was intrinsically more sociable than Elvis, who preferred quiet evenings in his suite. He loved gospel music and was prepared to stay up even later than Tom, just singing. Tom would say goodnight and be halfway out the door, when Elvis would start something else and Tom would be obliged to go back in and sing another song.

For the most part, they kept their friendship low-key. Elvis would slip into Caesars Palace with a baseball cap over his distinctive black hair and sit at

the back of the room. Disappointingly, Elvis and Tom never sang together in public. Elvis might walk on stage when Tom was performing, but he was under strict contract to another hotel, so he would never join in with a quick chorus of ‘Delilah’. Their duets were private moments and Elvis made it clear that they must never be recorded. His manager, Colonel Parker, had told him that he must ensure there were no bootleg recordings, an instruction he followed religiously. Tom was the same where Gordon was concerned: he never forgot what Gordon said.

When they weren’t singing, they would talk about music. Elvis once suggested they could do a concert together, with The Beatles as their backing group. They could do their own songs, followed by a few duets and the Fab Four could play all the instruments. Elvis asked, ‘Do you think there is a chance we could get them to do it?’ Tom, who still laughs about that conversation, responded:‘It would be fantastic.’

The pair were such good friends, they exchanged rings. Elvis gave Tom a splendid black sapphire ring, which annoyingly disappeared from his hotel bathroom one night on tour – along with the young lady who was using it. Tom, in turn, presented Elvis with a tiger’s eye ring that he knew he liked.

Elvis, for whom death threats were a way of life, was obsessed with firearms and would make sure he was armed even when he used the toilet. He gave Tom a gun with ‘Tom Jones’ engraved on the barrel. Tom has never had to fire his gun, although he made sure he knew how to use it. Perversely, Elvis also gave him a book that he’d enjoyed, entitled The Impersonal Life, a famous text about selfdiscovery and leading a spiritual life. 

Tom Jones: The Life by Sean Smith (HarperCollins)

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HEALTH & FITNESS

BEING fit and over 50 goes together far more these days than it once did and for all sorts of reasons.

Our parents may not have gone to the gym as part of their weekly routine, played a sport or watched their diet, but tougher times in particular didn’t lend themselves to this kind of self-awareness.

Today, we are all expected to live far longer, thanks to a better diet, healthcare and improvements in technology and medical research. However, just how we live our lives is entirely up to us.

It’s a fact that we have never before had sport and healthy activities more available and accessible to everyone.

Of course, you don’t necessarily have to pay for these pastimes. One of the best exercises of all is entirely free: walking.

There are plenty of national organisations with local groups wherever you live around the UK. The British Walking Federation, for example, organises walks for people of all ages and abilities. You don’t have to be a

member to take part and you can find out about their local activities at www.bwf-ivv.org.uk The British Heart Foundation has its own initiative called Walking for Health which results in walks being run in various areas of the country. Find out more about your nearest one at www.walkingforhealth.org.uk. The National Trust also organises walks – as you would expect, around some of the country’s most stunning countryside and parks.

Just go to www.nationaltrust.org.uk to discover how a walk can be turned into a fascinating day out.

Wokingham Health Walks Wokingham Health Walks is a local Walking for Health scheme. Our walks are free, fun and friendly – perfect to help you get active and meet new people.

If you’d like to take part, all you have to do is come along to the start point of one of our walks a few minutes early, so that one of our trained walk leaders can take your details. Then you’re free to take part in as many walks as you like, as often as you like.

If you want to know more about the walking programme, email Healthwalks@wokingham.gov. uk or call 0118 974 3729

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And if you’re looking for something slightly more challenging than a short walk, the Long Distance Walkers Association may have just the trips for you. Go to www.ldwa.org.uk to find out more about their long walks in rural, mountainous or moorland areas.

It’s not just the exercise that’s involved in walking with others, don’t forget. You are also gaining the company of like-minded individuals, enjoying plenty of fresh air and probably discovering some wonderful new parts of our glorious countryside.

Invest in a decent pair of hiking boots, some warm, weather-proof clothing and you’re on your way!

ind

Travel

Check with your local council’s website about not only other established walking groups but also any walks that they may be organising. Many councils run regular walks in the Spring and Summer which are easy to access and usually free.

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If you’re planning on taking up a new sport, rather than just increasing the amount you are walking, do check with your GP first – especially if it’s an activity that could be much more energetic than you’re normally used to.

GPs are generally very supportive of all of us taking responsibility for our own health and improving the amount of exercise we get, so expect a practical and supportive approach along with some good advice.

Taking part in physical activity can be a daunting prospect for the older adult. SHINE (Some Health Improvements Need Exercise) is a friendly community based programme run by Wokingham Borough Council Sports & Leisure team who run an abundance of sessions to suit adults aged 50+ of any ability.

Anna Wijkman, SHINE programme manager says: “SHINE plays a big part in my life. I have had the pleasure of being part of the SHINE team, originally as an instructor then an assistant coordinator and now the manager. I have been able to promote the importance of a healthy lifestyle to many audiences. I have seen frail adults join sessions and persevere with different intensity levels to become more mobile. Physical activity can not only make a difference to your fitness levels, but also your ability to do every day tasks like walking to the shops and small DIY tasks at home. The sessions offer a real social aspect too so you are able to keep fit but do it with your friends at the same time!”

SHINE

Some HealthImprovements ImprovementsNeed NeedExercise Exercise Some Health

Physical Activity Programme 50+50+Physical Activity Programme SHINE is a physical activity programme for over 50s run by Wokingham Borough Council, offering a wide variety of fun sports and exercise sessions. The sessions are a chance to socialise, meet new people and get fit and active.

SHINE Classes on Offer • Archery • Aquacise • Badminton • Gym and Swim • Line Dancing • Latino Dance • Tai Chi

• Yoga • Pilates • Zumba • Seated Exercise • Standing Exercise • Short Mat Bowls • Nordic Walking

SHINE MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE!

Swimming is a great exercise for all ages to do regularly, even if you have health problems like arthritis or other joint difficulties. The water can support your body, making this a kinder and more effective exercise which avoids weight-bearing yet allows a range of movement.

Your local council website or town hall is again the best place to start for information if you haven’t got a local pool nearby. Many council-run pools have special sessions for older swimmers which may be free or at least subsidised.

If you want to improve your enjoyment and accomplishment in the pool, invest in some swimming lessons from a qualified coach. To find out more about available coaching and swimming generally go to the Amateur Swimming Association’s website at www.swimming.org/asa

Members Benefits: Members Rates for SHINE Classes Priority Booking Quarterly Newsletter Discounts and Special Offers with Local Businesses For more information about SHINE, contact 0118 9743728 or email shine@wokingham.gov.uk.

Details of current classes are listed at www.wokingham.gov.uk/shine

HEALTH & FITNESS Costs are minimal to enjoy swimming - although if you’ve not been for a while it might be worth reviewing your swimwear!

Badminton offers exercise for all ages, and the chance to enjoy a game whatever your level. Again, local sports centres may well run open sessions or clubs may be based there.

If you have never played before, select either a club with coaching sessions or go to a coaching session at a centre or private club. Badminton England has plenty of information about clubs up and down the country and is a good place to start for general information on the sport at www.badmintonengland.co.uk You will need suitable trainers and lightweight sportswear – even tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt will do at the start although you may soon wish to progress. Badminton racquet costs go right across the range, but a sports shop can easily advise you on a good racquet to begin playing, preferably from a well-known manufacturer so you can get any broken strings easily repaired later.

Tennis is another sport with plenty of activity and a good social aspect to offer. Parks locally may well have tennis courts available for hourly hire at low cost, and may even hire out racquets. Trainers and lightweight sportswear are again suitable here, and if you want a racquet opt initially for a cheaper one that you could swap for a costlier model later if you like the sport.

There are plenty of local tennis clubs all over the country; go to the Lawn Tennis Association website www.lta.org.uk for more information and for the coaches’ register if you want lessons.

Table tennis is a very accessible sport, too, with sports centres and private clubs around offering competitive or social play. Many will have bats to lend if you’re a novice or just don’t possess one currently. Lightweight sportsgear and indoor trainers are handy here but it’s not an expensive sport to try out and you will definitely meet plenty of new people, too. Find out about local club venues from Table Tennis England at www.tabletennisengland.co.uk Many people take up golf in their later years and it is certainly a sport with a strong social life attached as well as the opportunity to play at a variety of courses. It’s not necessarily a cheap sport if you join a club – although worthwhile if you play regularly – but it offers enjoyment in the fresh air in attractive rural surroundings.

Comfortable, lightweight but waterproof clothes and suitable golf footwear are necessary, and if you can’t borrow clubs or hire them, you will need to invest in a decent set of golf clubs. However, it is possible to pick up clubs second-hand on ebay or elsewhere. The sports’ governing body is England Golf, which can tell you about clubs and courses around the country. Go to www.englandgolf.org

Stay Active and healthy!

The Sport and Leisure Team at Wokingham Borough Council offer 3 Health Initiative Schemes to its Wokingham Borough residents; GP REFERRAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SCHEME, ACTIVE HEARTS CARDIAC REHAB and the LONG TERM HEALTH CONDITIONS GYM. These programmes are designed for GP’s and any other Health Professional to refer their patients who are sedentary and have a medical condition, have experienced an acute cardiac episode or have an ongoing cardiac condition, or may have a long term health condition such as COPD, MS,

Parkinson’s disease, Stroke, Diabetes or have a physical disability. Each programme is designed to suit the individuals abilities and encourage them to become more physically active in a supported and safe environment, to help aid their condition and to prevent any further long term health conditions from occurring.

Activities are structured and monitored specifically to the individuals needs in order to improve their fitness, health and general wellbeing.

For further information please contact the Sports and Leisure Team on 0118 9 743728 or email livewell@wokingham.gcsx.gov.uk

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If you don’t want to take part in any specific sport but do want to improve your fitness, how about going to the gym? You don’t have to be a member of some gyms based in local sports centres, and private gyms may have special rates for senior citizens.

Fit for Life is a multi-activity programme which takes place at Bracknell Leisure Centre and offers a wide variety of fun sports and exercise sessions. These sessions are the perfect way to meet new people and socialise as well as to get fit and keep active.

Fit for Life

Kathy Bradford (Marketing Manager) says ''It's no wonder we call our Over 50's programme "Fit for Life", some people have been coming every week since 1974! They are our most regular, committed, valuable and inspiring customers. Many also manage to squeeze in a coffee and cake between activities (but don't tell the Keep Fit instructor Michelle!)."

“My instructor asked how flexible I was... I said I can’t make Tuesday or Thursday”

Our Fit for Life Sessions run Monday-Friday throughout the year (except bank holidays) with a range of activities on each day (timetable below), all for one great price.

Alternatively look in your local telephone directory or opt for an established gym in your own area. Staff are usually very helpful with advice – after all, everyone wants us to be fitter and healthier as we grow older!

MONDAY

TERM TIME HOLIDAY PROGRAMME PROGRAMME

1.30pm-3.30pm Forest Spa 1.45pm -2.45pm Yoga Swimming 1.45pm-2.30pm Zumba/Dance 2.30pm-3.15pm Zumba/Dance 2.00pm-3.30pm Badminton

Short Tennis

4 4 4 4 4 4 4

4 6 1.30pm-3.30pm 4 4 4 4

4 4 4 4 4

4 4 4 4 4

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 6

4 4

4 4

4 4

9.30am-11.30am 10.30am-11.30am

TUESDAY 9.30am - 12noon Forest Spa

Table Tennis Raquetball Squash

Coach led Badminton (£1 extra) WEDNESDAY 9.30am-10.15am Keep Fit 9.30am - 10.30am Yoga 9.30am - 12noon Badminton

Forest Spa Racquetball

Short Mat Bowls

Short Tennis Squash

Table Tennis 10.30am-11.30am Yoga 10.30am-12noon Swimming 12noon-12.30pm Splash Fit THURSDAY 1.30pm-3.30pm Swimming

Forest Spa FRIDAY 10.00am-12noon Forest Spa 10.40am-12noon Swimming

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Badminton Forest Spa Keep Fit Raquetball Short Mat Bowls

Price Adult Over 63’s

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Zumba/Dance Squash Swimming Table Tennis Yoga

Member £4.50 £3.10

Non-Member £6.60 £4.60

Various activities each day.

Price entitles you to participate in as many activities as you wish on the same day.

Bracknell Leisure Centre Bagshot Road, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 9SE Tel: 01344

454203

Email: blc.enquiries@bracknell-forest.gov.uk www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/bracknellleisurecentre

HEALTH

Qualified doctor and the UK’s most trusted parenting expert Dr Miriam Stoppard tackles your problems.

Q&A 1 Question: Two years ago I had breast cancer and fortunately the treatment worked and I’m cured. To add to my joy I’ve become a grandmother for the first time but my partner is really jealous of my grandson. Can you believe it, a grown man?

Answer: Don’t let his jealousy spoil things. Your brush with cancer and the birth of your grandson have emphasised the importance of family so I think it’s unfair that your partner is setting himself up in competition with them.

But I suspect he’s fighting his own demons, worrying your cancer might come back, making him greedy for all your time and attention.

Think of things from your partner’s point of view. Can you do more to make him feel appreciated and loved in your daily life? You could try to be a little less preoccupied with your grandson so that he doesn’t feel rejected? Could you plan a few treats together, just the two of you?

Q&A 2 Question: I’ve just had the shock of my life! My daughterin-law has confessed to me that my oldest granddaughter isn’t my son’s biological child. She’s made me promise to keep her secret and I’ve agreed. They have two beautiful girls aged 14 and 11. I love both girls with all my heart and I’m especially close to the eldest. I don’t know what to think.

Answer: It’s no wonder you’re in shock. Your daughter-inlaw has been keeping a mighty big secret and she must have a lot of faith in you to trust you with the truth. This type of family secret isn’t rare. You would be surprised to know how many people are, like your granddaughter, not the offspring of the man who raised them. This news doesn’t have to destroy your relationship with your grandchild. Already your special bond transcends any blood tie. She’ll still be your granddaughter and your love for her won’t change, unless that’s what you want, which I’m sure you don’t.

animosity personally. I want to do the right thing by my grandchildren, but his constant surliness is taking the shine off our fun times together. What’s the best way to handle him?

Answer: Your son-in-law may feel there’s something of a power struggle going on between you two for his child’s respect and he’s losing. You’re a generous man who gets pleasure from seeing your grandchildren’s happy faces, but his unemployed status is making him insecure. Right now you’ve got it all: good job and the money to be their fairy grandfather. Perhaps you should back off with the big spending for a while and find activities for you and the children to enjoy that don’t require a fat chequebook. This should take the heat off him and the competitive spirit out of your relationship, but you can still enjoy fun times with your grandchildren.

Q&A 4

Q&A 3

Question: I’m always nagging my grandchildren to wash their hands after going to the lavatory but they don’t take any notice. No one seems to bother anymore. How do I get my grandchildren to be more hygienic?

Question: My son resents me because I’m the manager of a large supermarket and earn decent money – money I spend on all my grandchildren, including his two. My wife and I have taken them on holiday abroad and for weekends to Disneyland Paris and other places, and he’s accused me of trying to buy their love. My wife says he’s upset because he’s unemployed and I shouldn’t take his

Answer: You’re a voice in the wilderness. Your grandchildren will only get into the habit of washing their hands after going to the loo if they’re encouraged to do so at home too. You might try telling their parents that the latest research from Queen Mary University, London found faecal contamination on one in four of the hands that they tested.

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In fact one in 10 were so “grossly contaminated” that they had levels of bacteria you would expect to find in a dirty lavatory bowl. This is deeply shocking and means just one thing - it’s not only your grandchildren who aren’t washing their hands. Everyone needs to wash their hands after going to the loo.

Q&A 5 Question: My new grandson has Down’s syndrome and I don’t know how to come to terms with the situation. I don’t feel like a real grandmother and I’m so unhappy I often cry myself to sleep. What can I do?

Answer: You can have a lovely future getting to know your grandson and I urge you to start right away. A life is a life and a baby with Down’s syndrome has exactly the same right as any other child to the best life possible. That means being loved, cherished, cared for, and educated, and being as normal as possible. Children with Down’s syndrome have many winning ways: they’re happy, do well in mainstream school with special attention and teaching and some enjoy independent life.

Instead of crying and complaining, aim to be your grandson’s biggest fan, coach, and cheerleader. Step outside your reluctance to be a real granny to him and be proud of him and his achievements. Start thinking about

your grandson instead of yourself and find out as much as you can about how to help him.

Q&A 6 Question: My grandson is seven years old and is running 5km races. His younger brother seems to be getting the bug as well. Their dad has always been a runner and regularly does half marathons. But I think seven is too young. Don’t you?

Answer: Since the Olympics the trend for running has soared in all age groups and this applies to children as young as your grandsons.

But beware the mindset that the farther a child can run the better. UK Athletics (UKA) states that children must be at least 11 to take part in a 5km road race and that’s the maximum distance permitted for that age. A child has to be 15 to run a 10km race on the road.

I feel provided younger children aren’t put under any undue pressure to win then to run in Park Runs is OK. It’s worth knowing that children probably benefit more from short bursts of exercise at primary school age. The kind of high intensity, sporadic exercise they do in the playground.

Parents must be careful that too much running too young isn’t detrimental to their children.

Dr Miriam Stoppard, a grandparent herself, has developed a range of 21 developmental toys for baby’s first year and beyond. The Dr Miriam @ Galt range, available from Galt Toys, encourages learning through play, with each toy boasting a host of engaging features for little hands and minds to explore.

...For Life Falls Prevention Exercise Programme Specialist Balance and Strength classes for anyone aged 60+ who feel at risk of falling or have had a fall.

Please see your GP or Health Professional to be referred onto the programme.

For more information, please contact our team on (0118) 908 8020 or email: steady.steps@wokingham.gov.uk

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The pitfalls of playing the multi-generation housing game It’s estimated that more than one million British households have three or more generations living together under one roof.

Multi-generational living – also called intergenerational living – is a rising trend, one which has seen an estimated 30% increase in the past decade.

Mike Wragg, an associate in the residential property team at Buckinghamshire law firm B P Collins LLP, says: “As life expectancy increases, often so do care needs, and while for some this may mean moving into an assisted living facility or a care home, others are relying on the support of their adult children.

The difficulties for the younger generation in getting on the housing ladder has resulted in a generation of “boomerang kids” coming back home to live with mum and dad; while at the other end of the age scale, elderly parents are living longer and often need more care.

“There are several different options – one is to sell both homes and buy one larger property together; another is to sell the parents’ home and use that money to build a ‘granny flat’ at their son or daughter’s home; while the third is for an adult child to buy their parents a suitable property nearby.”

For an increasing number, pooling the family resources together to either buy one larger house or extend an existing property can help to save money and benefit everyone involved.

The biggest challenge says Mike, is to realise that although plans can be made with the best of intentions, circumstances can change, leaving living arrangements that seemed like a good idea at the time no longer viable.

Before taking the plunge however, it’s important to take both legal and independent financial advice in order to avoid potential family disputes in the future.

Take, for example, the case of a middle-aged couple who build a granny flat extension to accommodate the wife’s parents. If, some years later, the couple run into marital difficulties and split up, then the entire property may have

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LEGAL to be sold as part of the divorce settlement – leaving her parents effectively homeless and with no equity of their own.

In addition, if an elderly couple’s money has been invested in a property rather than being set aside to pay for care fees, the authorities could potentially take a charge over the family house in order to recover money when it is ultimately sold. This means it is a decision that could come back to haunt the family in years to come and one which may also have inheritance tax implications in the longer term.

“Investing in an existing property or buying a new home together which is big enough to cater for all your needs might seem like a good idea but it can be a legal minefield,” continued Mike. “If the property is sold, there could there be disagreement about the ownership of part of the house or, alternatively, if the elderly parents need to liquidate some of their own money in years to come to pay for care home or nursing fees, they could find it very difficult to do so as you can’t sell ‘half’ a house.”

agreement is properly and legally documented to avoid future confusion within the family,” he said.

“What these examples show is that what seems like a simple solution can be a legal minefield. As you get older, moving house becomes so much more of an upheaval and what you don’t want to do is unintentionally force more stress and pressure onto your parents at a time when they should be able to relax and enjoy their retirement years.

“I can’t urge strongly enough the importance of seeking advice before making such a momentous decision. We offer families the chance to talk through initial advice without charge, enabling them to understand why it is so important to get it right. After all, if you’ve worked hard all your life and invested in property, you want to make sure you all reap the right rewards.”

It can also complicate matters if elderly parents have several children to whom they wish to leave their estate.

If their money has been poured into an extension to live with one son or daughter, then the remaining children could effectively each claim a share of the extension, but only recoup their inheritance such time as the house was sold – potentially putting undue pressure on the couple who opened their doors to look after their elderly parents.

Another scenario may be if the middle-aged couple has to move for any reason – perhaps work-related, in which case the parents will feel duty bound to pack up and move with them. And of course, on a work-related theme, if the husband or wife runs a business which gets into financial trouble, then the whole property may have to be sold by creditors.

This can also be the case if, rather than having them live together in one house, a son or daughter has bought their parents a suitable property nearby. If at some stage their financial or personal circumstances change, then it is entirely possible the parents’ property may have to be sold.

For expert advice call Mike Wragg property lawyer at B P Collins LLP

t: 01753 279021 email: resproperty@bpcollins.co.uk

Mike also recognises that in order to broaden their options, some older people may want to access cash from their property by way of an equity release scheme, but he cautions against the “very high” interest rates and says it can be more cost effective to look for an alternative.

“There are different options available, for example, if you are unwilling to move in with your family, you may be able to borrow a sum of money which could make a difference to the way you live. If so, then it’s important to ensure the

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www.bpcollins.co.uk 21

OUT & ABOUT Fourth Wednesday of each Month

KENNET VALLEY PROBUS CLUB For retired and semi-retired professional and business people. Our objective being friendship and fellowship, we meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month at a Newbury Hotel for a convivial luncheon and to enjoy interesting speakers from all walks of life. Optional social activities and events are also offered.

from The Corsairs and Victory Road.

Saturday sees performances from C U Tuesday, Unusual Suspects, Texas Ghost Train and Nick & The Sun Machine in support. Sunday sees headliner Lillian Boutté & Musical Friends joined with

Please contact Rosemary Lockyer on 01635 31679 rosemary@bhhc. me.uk www.kennetvalleyprobus.co.uk

Saturday July 11th 2015 - Sunday July 12th 2015 10:30 am - 5:00pm

Sunday July 19th 2015 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Reading French Bastille Festival

Reading Race For Life 2015

Reading French Festival is taking place in the historic Forbury Gardens in Reading’s town centre which will be transformed into a bustling French village for Bastille Day on 11 and 12 July 2015.

It’s time to take the fight to cancer at Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life.

We need an army of women to take part in our 5k, 10k and Pretty Muddy events across the country to help beat cancer sooner. Let’s unite together to defy cancer.

This will be a weekend of fun for families and the whole community with children activities from Hobbycraft (face masks making, face paintings), sporting activities from Decathlon (archery, tennis and badminton games), french patisseries from family run bakery La Parisienne, Bordeaux wine tastings from Vincent Gauthier of Château Pertignas and NAO the adorable little French humanoid robot who made an appearance on the Graham Norton show.

The Reading Prospect Park route has a fantastic atmosphere as the course criss-crosses around the Park so you can always see other participants around you. Travelling along grass, park paths and tarmac, this course has an incline for a couple of hundred metres halfway along the course but is otherwise completely flat.

Prospect Park Reading , Berkshire RG30 2ND

This year will see more variety of stalls and will be “Franglaise”.

Sunday July 26th 2015 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

As well as French food and drinks there will be amazing British food and local traders and farmers.

Reading Family fun Day

Free entrance – Delicious food and beverages all day long.

Reading Family Fun Day, an annual family event that takes place at Prospect Park Reading. With lots of stalls and attractions on offer you are sure to find something for the whole family. BBQ, face painting, trade stalls, ice cream, bouncy castle, animal roadshow and more.

Forbury Gardens Reading, Berkshire RG1 3EH Saturday July 18th 2015 11:00 am - 5:00pm

110th Royal Windsor Summer Show Accompanied by an array of cake and English cream tea, the wonderfully traditional garden party shall play host to an unrivalled display of the best British culinary, trade and craft stalls.

With gardening advice and cooking.

Chapter Gardens Windsor Castle, Berkshire SL4 1QF 22

Prospect Park Reading, Berkshire RG30 2ND www.readingfamilyfunday.co.uk Fri 24 Jul - Sun 26 July

2nd Fleur Fest A three-day real ale festival with live music on all days. Friday headliners are 70s do-wop masters Darts, with support

The Mangledwurzels, Duchess and Fleur Stevenson.

Tickets are now available directly from the venue - weekend tickets £37.50; day tickets £15.00. Check the FleurFest website at www.fleurfest.co.uk for more information - and a full list of ales and ciders.

30 Main Road, East Hagbourne, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 9LN, United Kingdom Phone: 01235 813247 Saturday 1 August and Sunday 2 August 2015

Flower Festival - Seven Centuries of Flowers Come and visit our Flower Festival, this year celebrating 700 years of St Mary's Church, Aldworth by featuring Seven Centuries of Flowers! Guess the event that is depicted in flowers as you go round. Then stay and enjoy tea/coffee and home-made cakes, available to buy at very reasonable prices..

Event 10am - 4pm Free entry Tea, coffee and delicious home-made cakes available to buy. (Gluten-free options available).

St Mary’s Church, Aldworth, Berkshire RG8 9SB

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Saturday August 8th 2015 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

Sandhurst family festival Tribute Acts. One Step Beyond. Ed Sherran. Katy Perry. Concept (X Factor) Sam Jones (BGT). Plus local acts and bands. Stalls. Bar. Food Outlets. *fun fair.* Face painting. Bike Stunt show.

Plus lots more.

please call 0844 346 3000 for youth tickets (10-17yrs). For details on all packages available, including a number of different corporate hospitality packages, please visit: www.tickets.ascot.co.uk

It’s 1963 and the world is changing.

Bobby and Laura’s first single Dreamboats and Petticoats went to the top of the charts – but they haven’t been able to repeat that success with any further records. Norman and Sue have settled down to non-marital bliss – and a baby! But Ray and Donna seem blissfully happy…

Sandhurst Memorial Park Sandhurst, Berkshire Sunday August 9th 2015 10:00 am - 4:30pm

The advent of the Beatles and the Merseyside sound is inspirational.

But will it inspire Bobby and Laura to have one more shot at stardom – Norman to “get off the drains” and find that singing voice he has longed for, and Ray to realise his ambition and manage a really top pop act!?

Newbury 23rd Annual Classic Vehicle Show This popular Classic Vehicle Show organised by the West Berkshire Classic Vehicle Club is now in its 23rd Year. All proceeds to Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research. Hundreds of classic exhibits, side stalls and refreshments, all contributing to a great day out.

Exhibitor information and booking forms available from the club website or by email.

Admission: Adults £6.00.

Children under 14 Free Newbury College Newbury, Berkshire RG14 7TD 07909 316 462 www.classicvehicles.org.uk Friday 14 Aug and Saturday 15 Aug 2015

Red Bull Air Race 2015 - Ascot

Exact times yet to be announced, prices starting at £30 for an adult ticket.

Fri 21 – Sun 23 August

SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN WYCOMBE SWAN SUMMER YOUTH PROJECT 2015 Grab your raincoat and umbrella as Singin’ in the Rain splashes onto stage as this years’ Summer Youth Project.

Singin’ in the Rain is sure to shower you with all the classic songs including Good Morning, Make ‘em Laugh and not forgetting Singin’ in the Rain. One the world’s best-loved movies brought to life on stage by the talented young people in the area.

The fastest motorsport in the world, Red Bull Air Race, returns to Ascot, the world’s most famous racecourse on 14th – 15th August 2015. Tickets for the UK leg of the World Championships are available now from ascot.co.uk/red-bullair-race-2015. The Red Bull Air Race World Championship sees the world’s best pilots put to the test in a pure motorsport competition, combining speed, precision and skill. The pilots use the fastest, most agile and lightweight racing planes to navigate a predefined, low-level aerial racetrack of air-filled pylons (Air Gates) with the aim of finishing in the fastest time possible, incurring as few penalties as possible.

TICKETS 01494 512 000 Wycombe Swan, St. Mary Street, High Wycombe, HP11 2XE

Adult general admission tickets are available from £30.00 per day,

Mon 28 September - Sat 3 October

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DREAMBOATS AND MINISKIRTS THE SEQUEL TO DREAMBOATS AND PETTICOATS

Saturday 29th August 2015

All will be revealed in a follow up with the same wit, charm, and great songs as Dreamboats and Petticoats. Many of the songs are from the next period in pop history…

Featuring all your favourite 60s rock ‘n’ roll hits.

TICKETS 01494 512 000 Wycombe Swan, St. Mary Street, High Wycombe, HP11 2XE Saturday October 3rd 2015 10:00am - 3:30pm

Gift Fair Come and buy direct from 22 local stall holders specially selected to sell a wide range of quality goods at affordable prices. Raffle. Refreshments and light lunches. 50p admission for adults.

St George’s Hall Newbury , Berkshire RG14 6NU

London to Windsor

Mon 5 Oct 2015 - 7.30 PM

Cycle from Richmond Green through the pretty villages of the Thames Valley to Alexandra Gardens in Windsor.

There's a choice of 29, 37 and 55 mile rides.

THAT’LL BE THE DAY 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

To register your interest with us email susan.blues@thameshospice. org.uk or call Susan Blues on 01753 848946

Prepare for a nostalgia party extravaganza as the legendary That’ll Be The Day appears with its brand-new 30th Anniversary Special!

TICKETS 01494 512 000 Wycombe Swan, St. Mary Street, High Wycombe, HP11 2XE

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OUT & ABOUT Wednesday 7 October, 7.30pm

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Tasmin Little Having wanted to write something with an adventurous spirit, Beethoven created the exhilarating Fidelio Overture which is a tour de force of orchestral virtuosity.

yourself, taking responsibility, realising you are no longer a child and all of the other terrifying realisations that come with being dragged kicking and screaming into modern adulthood.

TICKETS 01494 512 000 Wycombe Swan, St. Mary Street, High Wycombe, HP11 2XE

The epitome of Romanticism and one of the most popular concertos in the classical repertory, Bruch's Violin Concerto No.1 opens with an impassioned flourish for the solo violin. Performed by the outstanding violinist, Tasmin Little and conducted

by Rory Macdonald, this piece contrasts rhythmic orchestral pattern with a dramatic solo theme.

Closing the concert will be Mendelssohn's Symphony No.3.

Inspired by his visit to Scotland as part of his 'Grand Tour', Mendelssohn's 'Scottish' Symphony evokes the wildness of the Highlands with the spirit of the Romantic movement.

Tickets: £34.50, £31, £28, £23, £18 GROUPS 10+: ALL tickets are £12 each. No additional subscription rates apply. (subject to availability) ALL CHILDREN UNDER 18: £6 for individual tickets SCHOOLS: £6 each, including free programmes (subject to availability) (SMS members £5.75) CLASSICAL MEMBERSHIP SCHEME: £12 for individual tickets. (For patrons agad 18-25 or students of any age - please contact the Box Office to register for the scheme) All tickets are inclusive of booking fee Reading Arts and Venues Box Office The Hexagon, Queens Walk Reading RG1 7UA Tel: 0118 960 6060 Box Office Opening times.

Wed 14 October

CHRIS RAMSEY ALL GROWED UP Critically acclaimed stand-up comedian, Celebrity Juice regular, star of BBC2’s Hebburn, and the man who once got pizza delivered to a moving train embarks on his biggest stand-up tour yet! Following sell-out runs of his last three UK tours, Chris is back with a brand new show for 2015. Join him as he explores getting older, finding

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and gained a Masters degree in Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy from Oxford University.

This show is based on her critically acclaimed book "Sane New World" which helps us understand why we sabotage our sanity with our own thinking. 'Sane New World' shows us how to rewire our thinking to find calm in a frenetic world and how to become the master, not the slave, of our own minds. This show is your passport to saner living. She might not be sane herself but she does a pretty good imitation.

Tickets £20, Concessions £18 All tickets are inclusive of booking fee Reading Arts and Venues Box Office The Hexagon, Queens Walk Reading RG1 7UA Tel: 0118 960 6060 Box Office Opening times.

Thursday 8 October, 7.30pm

Friday 6 November, 6.30pm

Lee Nelson: Suited and Booted

The Hexagon Steve Backshall's Wild World

Lee Nelson is back with a brand new show!

You may have seen him host Live at the Apollo or caught him trying to join the England Squad as Premier League footballer Jason Bent. Now see Lee live in his highly anticipated nationwide tour.

“Never less than ingenious. . . a seamlessly entertaining touring show” The Times “Comedy Genius” Daily Mirror Tickets £22 All tickets are inclusive of booking fee Tickets £20, Concessions £18 All tickets are inclusive of booking fee Reading Arts and Venues Box Office The Hexagon, Queens Walk Reading RG1 7UA Tel: 0118 960 6060 Box Office Opening times.

Wednesday 28 October, 8pm

Ruby Wax Sane New World Ruby Wax is a much loved US born comedian, actor and writer based in the UK. Starting out as an actor at the RSC, she went on to write and perform in her own television shows and script edited the entire series of ‘Absolutely Fabulous' More recently she has also become a mental health campaigner

Wildlife TV Presenter, Adventurer, naturalist and writer Steve Backshall takes us on a tour of the real life expeditions that have inspired his novels ‘The Falcon Chronicles’. It’s a wild journey, illustrated with photos and films from his expeditions from the Arctic to the Antarctic, from the tundra to the top of the world’s highest peaks, and from the depths of the rainforest to the bottom of the sea. This talk is suitable for wildlife enthusiasts of all ages from eight to eighty. There will also be extended Q and As at the end of the show.

(Parents are advised that the content might be challenging for very young children.)

Perfect for wildlife enthusiasts of all ages!

Please note: parents are advised that the content might be challenging for very young children and that no live animals will be used in this show.

Tickets £20.50, Concessions £17.50, Groups 10+ £16.50 All tickets are inclusive of booking fee Reading Arts and Venues Box Office The Hexagon, Queens Walk Reading RG1 7UA Tel: 0118 960 6060 Box Office Opening times.

www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

Our New Pension Freedoms – opportunities and dangers What was the pension problem?

For decades people have had a love hate relationship with the concept of pension saving. Yes, they

By Robin Gambles received tax relief on contributions and people would often be able to avoid paying higher rates of tax as a result. But this was at a cost that many thought unacceptable, namely, that 75% of it (ie the balance after taking your 25% tax free lump sum) had to be commuted to income either by an annuity or by an income drawdown arrangement, when the pension finally came to be taken. It wasn’t money that would be there to spend.

The rationale to this was that in return for the very valuable tax relief given by the Government, they wanted to ensure that the sometimes substantial sums saved into a pension fund wouldn’t be ‘wasted’ irresponsibly, with the result that many would prematurely fall back on state support. So they stopped you.

This ran counter, however, to the deeply felt belief that ‘what is yours is yours’ and that you should be free to do with it what you freely wish. This is a generally accepted principle in a free society. It is recognised in all areas of law, with only limited exceptions, such as you need to pay your fair share of tax, and that certain categories of family can claim

against your estate if they consider that you have failed to make reasonable and appropriate provision for them, and of course, as mentioned, the limitation as to how you can spend your pension fund.

This was a real disincentive. Annuity rates have been terrible for ages and if you had to take an annuity it died with you, and could only be extended for another’s benefit for a short period at an unattractive cost. It was ‘swings and roundabouts’, and if you died early would be very bad value.

So as a result, many shunned pension saving and looked for other alternatives such as buy-to-let investments, over which they retained ongoing control.

But there were no favourable tax incentives in such alternatives.

Dreams now come true Last year the Chancellor suddenly shook our disgruntled dreams and hopes into reality, by giving us the choice with what we do with our pension funds and in a much less taxed way. Indeed in many an instance subject to no tax at all.

And these choices exist for those aged 55 years and over, although up to the age of 65 you’ll possibly face early exit charges.

Some background At this point it is important to mention the importance of making a nomination in respect of your pension fund, unless your fund is a discretionary payment pension fund. The fund itself isn’t taxed for Inheritance tax (IHT) on payment out.

So if you nominate a beneficiary to take it, if you die before drawing it, or of any

as yet undrawn part, it will pass to them instead of being paid into your estate, free of IHT. If it’s paid into your estate as of right, then it forms part of your estate and will be liable to IHT. If you’ve started to draw your pension it is described as ‘crystallised’ but up until that point it is ‘uncrystallised’.

The principal changes – on retirement or partial retirement You can either take an annuity or start a drawdown arrangement or encash any amount you want. You continue to be able to take a 25% lump sum tax free, but whatever else you take out will be regarded as income and taxed at normal marginal income tax rates. So if you take too much, you’ll be taxed at the top rate.

You have almost total freedom now and some have gone as far as saying you may treat your pension fund almost like a bank account, drawing on it as and when you please.

These are just the general principles, but surprise surprise there are many variations on a theme, all with their own taxation or other implications. Terms to look out for include ‘flexible access drawdown’.’capped drawdown funds’, ‘uncrystallised funds pension lump sum’ and ‘reducible lifetime annuities’ and many more. Never will your IFA have been your closer friend and ally!

Boost to our savings psyche and mentality Suddenly therefore pensions are back in the savings debate. Pension funds are now real money – your money. Savings that are yours to choose how to spend whilst they grow with tremendously favourable tax treatment. People might even now choose to make extra pension contributions rather than payments into ISAs. This will definitely be an attractive option to high earning higher rate tax payers, as the tax relief is given on payment into the pension fund as opposed, as with ISAs, on taking the funds out. Any pension contribution pushes up the threshold beyond which you pay higher rate tax by a precisely equivalent amount. The tax savings can then be used to make even higher contributions. And now you have control over it at the end. It’s still your money.

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What are the dangers of these freedoms though?

We are living longer and longer. As Dickens’ Mr Micawber would say, this can result either in happiness or misery, depending on whether we in fact have enough money to enjoy our retirement throughout. If we retire with potentially thirty years over which to stretch the benefit of our pension fund, are we in fact equal to the very considerable task and challenge of managing and protecting it over all that period? A sobering thought.

Early surveys suggested that an estimated 200,000 people would take all their pension in one go! But probably not, if they were to take advice and consider the pitfalls.

People need to work out their anticipated financial requirements in the shorter and longer term. Get some assistance in building a cash flow forecast. In earlier years you will ideally want much greater spending freedom whilst you are healthy enough for travel and leisure activities. As life gets more restricted, it will cost less until the care cost element starts to kick in. If you ultimately run out and have to fall back on state funding for care, the local

authority may try to penalise you under the intentional deprivation rules if there is evidence of reckless spending in the early retirement years – so beware!

The principal changes – on death How your pension fund passes on death, depends on whether you have reached the age of 75 or not. But even this distinction may be regarded as an historical anachronism and may in due course be discarded.

Up to 75, an uncrystallised pension fund can be passed completely tax free as a lump sum to any beneficiary (up to the ‘lifetime allowance’ which from 2016 will be reduced to £1m), and above 75 years a beneficiary can draw down on that fund paying normal income tax thereon at their marginal rate.

Up to 75, the crystallised part of a pension fund can pass tax free as a lump sum to any beneficiary (up to the lifetime allowance),and after that age any beneficiary can draw down on it at their marginal rate of income tax from 2016 ( and at a fixed rate of 45% before that).

Pension funds are now therefore becoming one of the more tax

efficient ways of passing on wealth between generations – indeed it may be better to leave money in your pension and spend other investments first.

Ongoing need for advice You need to discuss all these new possibilities with your IFA and your solicitor on your next Will review, as structures can be put in place to pass on your wealth to your family in the best possible way. If you are fortunate enough to have significant funds over and above your pension pot, there is still good sense in considering a family discretionary trust which can keep former pension funds outside the estate of the surviving spouse, and so avoid him or her having to be taxed on those on death, whilst still having access to those funds during the survivor’s lifetime if needed.

As ever we at Hewetts are always glad to advise you further on any of these issues. Please contact Robin Gambles (r.gambles@ hewetts.co.uk) or Tim Butcher (t.butcher@hewetts.co.uk) or by telephone as shown below.

Hewetts are an old established firm with a modern and progressive outlook, whose private client department sees an ever growing need to channel their legal energy to identifying and looking after the needs of the retired and elderly.

Anyone over 50 should be anticipating both the opportunities and the problems, and plan accordingly by: • • • • • • • • •

wills to benefit your family in the most tax efficient way wills to protect your children where you may have remarried planning inheritance tax savings and protection of assets benefiting your family in your lifetime lasting powers of attorney both for property and affairs and personal welfare long term care arrangements ascertaining whether the NHS should pay for your care instead of being self funded co-ownership and "live-in" care arrangements with family equity release arrangements

55-57 Lo ndon S Reading treet, RG1 4PS

For further information contact Robin Gambles on 0118 955 9617

Email r.gambles@hewetts.co.uk Website www.hewetts.co.uk www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

27

FOOD & DRINK

Cook with the stars!

John Torode, Paul Hollywood and James Martin JERK CHICKEN SERVES 6 To get a more authentic jerk experience, add some wood chips to your barbecue and cook your chicken thighs or legs over slow indirect heat for the best flavour. Alternatively enjoy a beautiful jerk chicken breast cooked over a high heat – it should be ready in 10 minutes or less.

12 chicken thighs, bone in, or 8 large chicken breasts

MARINADE

1 large bunch spring onions, or 2 smaller bunches 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 tbsp salt juice of 1 lime 1 /2 tsp dried thyme, or 1 tbsp fresh thyme 1 tbsp allspice berries 1-10 scotch bonnets (start with a small amount and add more later if you think it needs it) 1 thumb-sized piece ginger 3 garlic cloves 1 /2 small onion 2-3 tbsp of brown sugar

rode John To

To make the marinade, put all the ingredients in a blender and process until you have a purée. Don’t add more water if you’re having trouble getting it all blended, just keep turning off the blender, stirring it up with a spatula, and trying again. Eventually it will start to blend up nicely. Now taste it. It should taste pretty salty, but not unpleasantly puckeringly salty. You can also now throw in more chillies if it’s not spicy enough for you. If you think it tastes too salty and sour, try adding a bit more brown sugar until things seem good and balanced.

Put the chicken pieces in a bowl, cover with the marinade and leave overnight.

Next day, cook the chicken over a smoky fire for 15 to 20 minutes, turning about six times during cooking.

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CHICKEN WITH COCONUT DRESSING SERVES 6

50g palm sugar 50ml fish sauce 400g can coconut milk 6 chicken thigh fillets

2 red Thai shallots 1 /2 red pepper, cut into julienne 2 small red chillies, cut into julienne 50g cucumber, cut into julienne 10g roasted peanuts 4 lime leaves, cut into very fine julienne 30 coriander leaves 6 squares banana leaf, to serve

Bring the palm sugar, fish sauce and coconut milk to the boil in a large saucepan, add the chicken and poach until the chicken is cooked through. Leave to cool.

Mix the other ingredients (except the banana leaves) together in a bowl. When the chicken is cool, cut it into 1cm thick strips and toss into the salad.

Lay a banana leaf at the centre of each plate and pile on the salad. Drizzle with some of the poaching liquid and serve.

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POLLO ALLA CACCIATORA HUNTER’S CHICKEN 750g/1lb 10oz chicken thighs and drumsticks salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 large onion, finely sliced 1 garlic clove, crushed and left whole 1 small red chilli, sliced 2 sprigs of rosemary 2 sprigs of thyme a handful of parsley, roughly chopped 2 bay leaves 4 sage leaves 125ml/4fl oz/½ cup dry white wine 1½ tbsp tomato purée (paste), dissolved in 3 tbsp lukewarm water 175g/6oz cherry tomatoes, halved

However, as with many Italian dishes, it also has roots in the cucina povera, when people used whatever meagre ingredients they had to hand; in this case, a chicken or, more likely, an old hen, was slaughtered for a special occasion and, to make it go further, enriched with whatever vegetables and herbs were available in the garden as well as a splash of homemade wine. It is made all over Italy and here I have recreated it in the way it is normally made in my region of Campania, using lots of herbs and fresh tomatoes. I like to serve this rustic dish with slices of toasted country bread drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.

Rub the chicken pieces all over with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the chicken and seal well all over.

James Martin

SERVES 4 This classic Italian dish is renowned all over the world and often seen on the menus of Italian restaurants. The title alla cacciatora (‘in the style of the hunter’) suggests it was probably first made with game birds or rabbit.

Add the onion, garlic, chilli and herbs and cook for a couple of minutes on a medium heat. Add the wine, increase the heat and allow the wine to evaporate slightly.

Add the diluted tomato purée, then stir in the cherry tomatoes. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook gently for 1¼ hours, until the chicken is cooked through; the flesh should come away from the bone and there should be no sign of pink when you pierce the thickest part. Serve hot.

For a slow cooker

Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan and cook the chicken as above. Continue as above, add the tomatoes, plus 300ml/10fl oz/1¼ cups chicken stock. Bring to the boil, then transfer to a large slow cooker pot. Cover and cook on Low for 7–8 hours or until there are no pink juices when the chicken is pierced with a small knife.

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Trade Membership* You qualify for Trade Membership if you are a bona fide business owner or manager, or are self employed. To join Costco and start saving please provide evidence of trading in the form of either a VAT Registration Certificate or two other pieces of business stationery (cheque, letterhead, invoice), PLUS a current business utility bill (electricity, gas, telephone, water). The annual membership fee for Standard Trade Membership is £20 (plus VAT).

Individual Membership* You qualify for Individual Membership if you belong to specific employment groups – please see below for details of qualifying categories. To join Costco and start saving please provide your employee ID card or current pay slip to prove your employment, PLUS a current utility bill (electricity, gas, telephone, water) or a bank statement addressed to your home. The annual membership fee for Standard Individual Membership is £25 (plus VAT).

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Costco Reading, 100 South Oak Way, Green Park, Reading, Berks, RG2 6UE

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Food Court | Fresh Bakery | Groceries | Gifts | Electronics | Fine Jewellery | Designer Apparel | Opticians | Fine Wines | Butchers and more!

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29

FOOD & DRINK

LARGE ALL-IN-ONE VICTORIA SANDWICH

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Grease two 20cm (8in) sandwich tins then line the base of each tin with baking parchment.

2. Measure the butter, sugar, eggs, flour and baking powder into a large bowl and beat until thoroughly blended.

Divide the mixture evenly between the tins and level out.

3. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes or until well risen and the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly pressed with a finger.

Leave to cool in the tins for a few minutes then turn out, peel off the parchment and finish cooling on a wire rack.

4. When completely cold, sandwich the cakes together with the jam. Sprinkle with caster sugar to serve.

TIP Here are the ingredients and baking times for smaller cakes so that you don’t have to calculate the quantities. Follow the instructions for the Large All-inone Victoria Sandwich and fill with 4 tablespoons of strawberry or raspberry jam, or a little less, if you like.

This must be the best known and loved of all family cakes. The all-in-one method takes away the hassle of creaming, and ensures success every time. Baking spreads give an excellent result, but the cake won’t keep as long.

For an 18 cm (7 in) Victoria Sandwich, use 3 large eggs, 175g (6 oz) of softened butter, 175g (6 oz) of caster sugar, 175 g (6oz) of self-raising flour and 1½ teaspoons of baking powder. Bake in two 18 cm (7in) greased and lined sandwich tins for about 25 minutes.

powder. Bake in two 15 cm (6in) greased and lined sandwich tins for about 20 minutes.

225 g (8oz) softened butter 225 g (8oz) caster sugar 4 large eggs 225 g (8oz) self-raising flour 2 level teaspoons baking powder

For a 15 cm (6 in) Victoria Sandwich, use 2 large eggs, 100g (4oz) of softened butter, 100g (4 oz) of caster sugar, 100 g (4 oz) of self-raising flour and 1 teaspoon of baking

FOR THE FILLING AND TOPPING

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4 tablespoons strawberry or raspberry jam a little caster sugar, for sprinkling

Mary Berry Mary Berry’s Baking Bible by Mary Berry (BBC Books, Hardback £25) Photographer: Dan Jones

www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

Tomatoes, Prostate Health and the Mediterranean Diet The Mediterranean diet is often associated with healthy living. Research suggests that the humble tomato is a key constituent of this diet and may play a significant role in human health, especially of the prostate.

The belief that tomatoes have health benefits can be traced back to South American Indians, ideas that were brought to Europe by Columbus in the 15th century. Tomatoes were also thought to be aphrodisiacs, sometimes being referred to as Pommes d’Amour or “love apples”.

The key ingredient of tomatoes is lycopene, one of the world’s most powerful, naturally occurring antioxidants.

Responsible for tomatoes’ distinctive red colour, it is a member of a large family of coloured compounds called “carotenoids” that are found throughout the natural world.

Humans possess no mechanism to make carotenoids, instead we accumulate them from our diet. Some, such as betacarotene, are easily accumulated whereas others are much less easily absorbed.

Our bodies are hardly able to take up lycopene from raw tomatoes and need the fruit to be cooked or processed prior to eating. Alternatively, “bioavailable” lycopene supplements are becoming increasingly popular.

Lycopene is sometimes presented in the National media as a panacea, a miraclefood that cures almost everything. Whilst many claims are exaggerated, there

is a large and credible research base that reports lycopene health benefits, particularly in relation to prostate cancer, heart disease, breast cancer and skin health.

The most extensive research has been conducted in the area of prostate cancer.

Lycopene is known to accumulate in the prostate gland and this has driven scientists to try to investigate its impact on the disease.

Some of this research has shown not only a positive association between high lycopene intake and a reduced risk of prostate cancer, but also benefits for those who already have the disease.

Professor Ed Giovannucci from Harvard Medical School has been following the progression of 50,000 men since 1986, investigating the relationship between prostate cancer and lycopene consumption. In his latest 2014 report he notes: ‘Dietary intake of lycopene was associated with reduced risk of prostate cancer, especially lethal prostate cancer’.

A smaller trial at King’s College Hospital, London concluded: ‘Our clinical study lends weight to the probability that dietary supplementation from lycopene slows disease progression in men with prostate cancer.’

Although the exact mechanisms are not fully understood, many researchers think that lycopene’s antioxidant properties help to protect the body’s DNA from damaging free radicals. Others believe that lycopene improves cell-to-cell communication, reducing the risk of the uninhibited growth seen in cancer cells.

In all likelihood, several mechanisms are at work.

Every time a damaging free radical is removed by a lycopene molecule, the antioxidant becomes “spent” – the lycopene sacrifices itself to protect the body’s DNA. However, research has shown that the presence of plenty of vitamin C allows the “spent” lycopene molecules to be reactivated, rejuvenating them and preparing them to quench another poisonous free radical.

Staying Informed Professor George Truscott and two internationally renowned colleagues formed George & Partners back in 2000. The company provides readable, up-todate, scientifically robust information about lycopene research, particularly that related to prostate cancer, breast cancer, heart disease and skin health. The company also develops food supplements based on the latest research.

To sign up for a free newsletter, please call 08000 234 235 or visit www.lycoplus.co.uk.

Natural Lycopene Supplement Each Lycoplus EXTRA one-a-day capsule contains 15mg of natural Lycopene plus 60mg of vitamin C which reactivates “spent” Lycopene, enhancing and prolonging the effect of the supplement.

One box of 30 capsules (one month’s supply)

£17.95

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£55.80

All prices include free UK postage & packing

To order call Freephone 08000 234 235 or visit www.lycoplus.co.uk

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31

UROLOGY

DIGNIFIED CONSULTATION AND UNDERSTANDING

Not that the entertainment for the evening featured anything about weak bladders or urinary problems… It was that after a couple of social drinks at the interval John found he persistently needed the toilet.

And on his third time of forcing everyone on his row to stand up and make way for him the 56-year-old decided ‘enough was enough’.

“I’d only had a couple of small drinks but it was a couple too many. I was so embarrassed as everyone made way for me for the third time that I watched the rest of the performance from the back of the hall,” he said.

John had been having bladder problems for about eight years and his regular toilet trips throughout the night were affecting his sleep, leaving him tired and under-par during the day.

Tests carried out by Consultant Urologist Marc Laniado at BMI The Princess Margaret Hospital showed he had an enlarged prostate and he was prescribed medication which succeeded in reducing it to a size of below average.

NIGHT AT THE THEATRE LED TO A ‘NO DRAMA’ TREATMENT FOR JOHN It was a night at the theatre that finally made John Karamani decide he was going to have his waterworks treated with a UroLift®!

But the problem of the overactive bladder continued and, following the embarrassing night at the theatre John met again with Mr Laniado and it was decided they would go ahead with the UroLift®.

And the results, say John, have been ‘absolutely marvellous’.

“For the first time in many years I felt that my bladder was empty after going to the toilet. It is difficult to tell people who haven’t had bladder problems what a tremendous feeling that is.

“I could go out and about and not worry if I was near a toilet, and I could go to bed and sleep soundly,” said John.

“The procedure was pain free and the effect was almost immediate. My advice to anyone suffering a similar problem is to have a UroLift® as soon as possible.”

Mr Laniado added: “John’s urinary problems were due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) which causes the urinary flow to slow down because the outlet channel from the bladder (the urethra) gets constricted where it passes through an overgrown prostate. About

six in 10 men over the age of 60 develop this condition.

“Although avoiding caffeine, bladder retraining, herbs and conventional medicines relieve symptoms, these measures are often inadequate and can, in some cases, lead to sexual function side-effects.

“The next suggestion is usually a ‘re-bore’ through the prostate – sometimes using a laser - which dramatically improves urinary flow. However, this requires a two-day hospital stay and the fitting of a catheter with the risk of bleeding.

“It can also mean that some men will never return to a normal sex life, sometimes to the extent that they will never ejaculate again.

The UroLift® innovation, which was developed in the USA, relieves symptoms due to BPH without sexual side-effects or a catheter and can be performed under local or general anaesthetic.

It works by lifting out the enlarged prostate tissue widening the urethra.

Only half a day in hospital is usually

needed. Although there can be some mild side-effects these are usually resolved within two to four weeks.”

If you can relate to John’s story and would like to know more or make an appointment with Mr Laniado, please contact us at BMI The Princess Margaret Hospital on 0800 533 5092.

Whether you have Private Medical Insurance or are looking to pay for yourself, we can offer: n Treatment at a time to suit you n Consultant-led care throughout n High level of cleanliness and low infection rates

For more information For more information about BMI The Princess Margaret Hospital and UroLift®, please call 0800 533 5092 or visit bmihealthcare.co.uk./pmh BMI The Princess Margaret Hospital, Osborne Road, Windsor SL4 3SJ

WHAT IS UROLIFT®?

The UroLift® system is a new minimally invasive device designed to treat lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

MR MARC LANIADO Consultant Urologist MD FRCS(Urol) FEBU

It relieves prostate obstruction and opens the urethra directly without cutting, heating, or removing prostate tissue.

Instead it pushes aside obstructive prostate lobes – rather like opening window curtains – while leaving the prostate intact.

Small UroLift® implants are then permanently placed to lift or hold the enlarged prostate tissue out of the way and increase the opening of the urethra.

Because there is no removal of tissue recovery time should be much quicker and there are benefits concerning the preservation of sexual function that can be affected by some procedures.

However, it is important to note that the UroLift® is a new procedure with limited long-term results available at this time.

Bleeding, infection, post-operative pain and migration of the implants are all possible risks and complications, albeit rare.

Serious about health.

Passionate about care.

CDS10219/APPHQ11124848/11047126

Hearing loss is often misunderstood.

There is a common perception that hearing loss means that sounds in the world around us become quieter and quieter until, eventually, they cannot be heard at all.

In reality, this level of deafness is comparatively rare. The majority of people suffering from hearing loss will hear plenty of sounds around them and cope satisfactorily in some situations, especially when speaking to someone face to face, one to one and when it is quiet. The further away from these ideal conditions the harder it is for them to hear.

So, much more commonly, hearing loss is about a lack of clarity, especially of speech, when there are other sounds in the background or when the speaker’s face or mouth cannot be seen. In this instance, a person with hearing loss will know someone is talking but not always understand what is being said, which may lead to inappropriate responses or getting the wrong end of the stick entirely. This can be humorous but, often, others will interpret this as rudeness or as evidence that the person saying the wrong thing is disinterested in the conversation and not bothering to pay attention.

More likely, the person not hearing properly is putting a great deal of effort, even if they are not aware of it, into trying to hear; into trying to fill in the missing bits or work out words that are not clear. This can be

very tiring and, eventually, that person will need to take a break and switch off.

They are then, essentially, alone, even when with family or friends.

If you are not sure whether you have hearing loss, some typical types of situations to watch out for are:• Asking others to repeat what they have said.

• Needing the volume on TV or radio turned up.

• Asking the person with you to tell you what was said by another speaker – at the time or later.

• Laughing when others around you do, even at jokes when you did not hear the punchline.

• No longer getting the same enjoyment from social gatherings, including family occasions, where you don’t feel a part of it or feel left out.

• Not being able to converse successfully in a car.

• Struggling to converse in a busy pub or restaurant or at a party, especially when others seem to be coping well in that environment.

• Not hearing the doorbell ring or the telephone or the signals on kitchen appliances.

•

Blaming others for not speaking clearly. If enough people are not speaking clearly, look for the common denominator; maybe someone is not hearing clearly.

If any of these seem familiar, you should have your hearing checked by an audiologist.

For the vast majority of people the most effective solution will be to wear hearing aids. Do not be discouraged by those who have tried hearing aids and failed. If done properly, hearing aids will help you hear better and will improve your quality of life.

If:• you are properly assessed, • you are issued with the correct aids, • they are set up properly for your personal needs, • you are given the right advice and follow it, • you have access to proper after care, you should derive real benefit from your hearing aids and be much more in touch with what is going on around you.

If you want a thorough hearing assessment and be given impartial and comprehensive advice, contact Mary Hare Hearing Centre on (01635) 523343 or visit the shop in Weavers Walk, Newbury, RG14 1AL. Further information is available on the website www.maryharehearingcentres. co.uk

Wireless Hearing Aids from Mary Hare Hearing Centre Surflink Technology enables a direct link from your Hearing Aids to multiple bluetooth devices

Tel: (01635) 523343

Make your life easier and more enjoyable with Surflink • • • •

Direct sound streaming from your TV Enjoy enhanced one-to-one conversations Hands free phone calls on your mobile Wireless listening to everything on MP3 players & Computers

www.maryharehearingcentres.co.uk

Mary Hare Hearing Centre,Weavers Walk, Newbury, RG14 1AL

Blue Badge (disabled parking permits) Fraud: Housing tenancy fraud; This is the occupation of any social housing usually with a view to make a profit. It can cover for example; • Unlawful sub-letting. In these cases the genuine tenant(s) have moved out of the property without surrendering the tenancy. They set up a sub tenancy with a thirds party to rent their property from them. These cases usually attract a profit for the genuine tenants. These actions can be criminal and any cases proved will be considered for prosecution.

• Unlawful successions, these are applications made to the social landlords including the Local Authority to take over a tenancy from someone who may have died or left the property. The succession application must demonstrate that they have resided continuously at the address for a 12 month period prior to the application fraudulent activities are known to crop up in this area.

• False homeless applications, these occur at the application point where individuals supply false evidence or make false statements to secure accommodation.

• Right to buy. In such cases false applications are submitted and in some cases there may be offences under the money laundering acts been committed.

• The Audit Commission estimated that aprox 50,000 social housing homes in England are unlawfully sub-let. This may be as high as 160,000. The National fraud Authority state around £900 million is been lost in these cases.

Properties used fraudulently are not available for those with a genuine need, this forces Local Authorities to place homeless families into temporary accommodation On average the cost per year for this is £18,000 per family.

Disabled Parking Permits or Blue Badges are issued by your Local Authority to persons with a genuine need to access facilities and park within easy reach of these. However there are some people who are prepared to misuse or fraudulently acquire these badges Here are some of the more common examples: • Abuse of badges. This includes using a counterfeit badge.

• Using a lost or stolen badge.

• Using the badge of a deceased person.

• Misuse of genuine badges. This means using the badge when the holder is not present. Some people who fall into this category think (wrongly) that what they are doing is not fraudulent. A few will have failed to understand the restrictions on use, but most will chance their luck on the basis that it can be hard to prove. Either way, this is still a criminal offence; it can lead to prosecution and a criminal conviction.

The true costs: • Fraudulent use of Blue Badges prevents people in genuine need from accessing on-street parking where they need it most. This should be. High levels of fraudulent Blue Badge use also cause problems.

• In addition, there is a significant cost to the public purse.

By claiming exemption from the congestion charge, a blue badge holder saves £2,500 per year. They may also avoid having to pay for a resident’s parking permit, at £50 - £250 a year. If the motorist avoids paying hourly on-street parking charges of £3 per hour for 40 hours a week, this adds up to a further £6,000 a year (this could be even higher if commuting to central London). So the fraudulent misuse could be costing local government in addition to the extreme inconvenience for disabled motorists and passengers.

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friend, please fill in the form below and post with a cheque for £3.40 made payable to McGrath Media: 6th Floor, 120 Bark Street, Bolton BL1 2AX

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www.50plusmagazine.co.uk 35

HOME

THERE comes a time in life for most of us when we realise that the property we’re in may not be suitable to our needs any more.

At no time is this truer than when we’re older, perhaps looking around at the family home or large house and considering what our next living move must be.

Most of us want to live independently but in a smaller, easier to manage home, possibly with support. If this is the case, then it is to some form of sheltered housing that we would be looking for.

There are many kinds of sheltered housing schemes.

Some will have a manager or warden, living on-site or off-site, and all should provide 24-hour emergency assistance through an alarm system.

The accommodation involved is usually self-contained but possibly with communal areas like a lounge, laundry room and garden. Many schemes also run social events for residents.

For those of us needing more support, there are extracare sheltered housing schemes which allow more independence than living in a care home. Here, you would live in a self-contained flat but have your meals provided and you might also receive personal care.

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Most sheltered housing for rent is provided by local councils or housing associations, each with its own allocation policy and there may be a waiting list. It’s worth, though, asking how long you might have to wait and what constitutes a priority application. A small amount of sheltered housing is also available to rent privately.

Increasingly popular these days is retirement housing that’s available to buy, usually built by private developers. Age UK suggests you only buy from a builder who is registered with an accredited body like the National House-Building Council (NHBC).

But before you buy any retirement housing, it’s important to ensure you find out about running costs like a service charge, ground rent, Council Tax and utility bills.

Before you select where you would like to spend the next stage of your life – especially if you are buying a

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Forestcare property - it’s worth having a checklist of requirements that you need to ensure your personal quality of life.

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For example, is your chosen spot close to friends and family or would it require a journey? If so, is there a good bus service or are there other easy transport links nearby?

Lifeline Alarms & Sensors Keeping you safe at home

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MY

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If you have a car of your own, is there secure parking on-site or close by and do you have to pay extra for this? Such additional costs can become really important when you’re on a fixed income.

Are you near local amenities like shops, a doctor or clinic and other facilities you might need? Is there an emergency alarm system installed and is a warden available daily or living on-site? Are there useful communal areas where you can mingle with other residents if you want to? with other residents if you want to?

Developers these days are very aware of the needs of older people when they plan retirement developments.

• For more information go to: Age UK at www.ageuk.org.uk The Elderly Accommodation Counsel at www.eac.org.uk

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Accredited by the Telecare Services Association

Forestcare – Making a Difference

Forestcare is Bracknell Forest Council’s Emergency Response Telecare Service, covering Bracknell and all surrounding areas.

We provide help & support to all members of the community, both young and old, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Forestcare - Making a Difference

Forestcare Lifeline Alarm Service Live alone?

Feel vulnerable?

Suffer from falls?

Forestcare Forestcare

Lifeline Alarms Alarms && Sensors Sensors Lifeline Keeping you you safe safe at at home home Keeping

Forestcare is an emergency telecare response service covering Bracknell, Reading, Wokingham and all surrounding areas. A basic telecare package consists of a lifeline alarm hub unit and a pendant. The equipment allows you to raise a call for help if you are in trouble.

There are also a wide range of sensors available including smoke, carbon monoxide & falls, which can be added to you package to meet your individual needs.

A Forestcare lifeline alarm provides you with safety and security when you are at home. It enables you to live an independent life, safe in the knowledge that help is at hand, 24 hours a day. Whether it’s an emergency or just reassurance that you require, simply press the red button on your pendant and we will respond to your call in a friendly and efficient manner.

ForestcareisisBFC’s BFC’sEmergency Emergency Forestcare Response Telecare Service, Response Telecare Service, We demonstrate, install & monitor the lifeline Getting a lifeline alarm installed is as easy as 1,2,3! alarms and covering sensors. The service allows individuals tothe 1. Contact us to arrange a convenient appointment Bracknell and and the remain in covering their own homesBracknell and therefore retain their time. independence.

It also provides peace of mind that help surrounding areas.

2. We will visit you to demonstrate and install the areas. is at handsurrounding with the push of a button, 24 hours a day. equipment free of charge (no obligation).

We provide help support toall all3. Your lifeline alarm is then active and ready to use.

Mike Porter, partprovide of the Forestcare team, how to We help &&explains support If you would like to make an appointment or simply the service members can be beneficial of to allthe members of the community, both members of the both community “We have customers of all community, ages who use require more information, please do not hesitate to the service.young From youngand families with specific needs a day, contact us today. old, 24 hours young and old, hours to older people who are frail and live24 alone.

A lifeline a day, Accredited by the Accredited by the 365 days a year. alarm can make a real difference to a person’s life, Telecare Services Association 365 days a year. whatever the situation”.

Telecare Services Association

Tel: 01344 786599 Forestcare––Making Making a Difference Forestcare a Difference E-mail: forestcare.enquiries@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

If you would like to discuss your personal requirements please give us a ring or drop us an email.

Web: www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/forestcare

CARE using homecare services, to reduce the risk of accidents, and protect people from any form of abuse including physical, emotional and financial. This will also include an agreement about gaining access to your home. Carers should have ID cards to show their photograph, their name, the company’s name and contact details. Homecare companies must also have a policy in place that sets out how staff should handle money, if you ask them to buy things, or to pay a bill for you.

Funding homecare

Choosing the right homecare Whether you’re choosing a homecare company for a family member or starting to plan for your own future, there are several important things that you should consider to make sure that the provider you choose treats and cares for you in the right way.

Here are a few useful pointers to help you along the way.

Your chosen homecare provider is there to look after you. They should help you to make your own decisions and support you in maintaining your independence.

That also means treating you with respect, valuing you as a person and respecting your privacy. If you need assistance with tasks such as dressing, bathing and toileting, you have the right to choose your carer, whenever possible.

Remember, it’s your care and you have the right to be involved in every aspect of your care. Don’t ever be afraid to ask for a family member or friend to be kept informed about your homecare too.

Homecare company standards All companies have a ‘Statement of Purpose’ that sets out their aims and objectives and the type of the services they offer. If you’re employing a company, they should give you a contract explaining all terms and conditions. This will include things such as their confidentiality policy – for example, how they will hold and use personal data. All carers should also have clear written guidelines and follow robust procedures on how to administer and assist with any medication needs.

Before your homecare starts It’s important to always make sure that 38

the homecare provider you choose visits you at home, before care starts.

This will give you the chance to discuss your requirements in detail to ensure that you’re happy with your choice. A good homecare company will answer any questions you may have during this visit. The visit will also give staff the opportunity to see the environment in which they will be working. If possible, arrange for a family member or friend to be there when they visit.

Initial visit by homecare provider During the initial home visit by the homecare provider, they will carry out a detailed risk assessment of your home, as well as a manual handling assessment. This is important, as it will identify how the company staff will move you safely around your home, if required.

All staff should be fully trained in using equipment, such as a hoist, if needed, to help bear your weight safely.

Keeping you safe and secure in your own home It’s the job of carers to make sure that you are safe and secure in your own home when they are working with you.

Every homecare company must have procedures in place to protect those

It’s important to know the cost of homecare and you should always be provided with a clear idea of costs.

In most cases, companies will charge different rates for homecare on weekday, evenings and weekends.

There is also often a higher rate on Bank Holidays. Remember to ask if there will be any additional costs that you need to know about.

Direct Payments If you have been assessed by your Social Care team as being eligible for care and support at home, and Social Services have agreed to fully or partfund your care (dependent on your financial assessment), you can choose to arrange and pay for your own care and support services instead of receiving them directly from the local council.

The ‘Direct Payment’ option allows you greater flexibility and freedom in how your care is provided. You can choose to employ your own ‘personal assistant’ or decide to work with the care provider of your choice. Your Social Care team will be able to advise you further.

Check your charges All costs should be written into the contract between you and the company and you should be invoiced at regular intervals for the previous months’ service. In most cases, the homecare provider will keep timesheets that you will need to sign. Always check daily that they have logged the correct length of visits. It may seem easier to sign only once a week, but if you do this you may be charged the incorrect amount and it will be difficult to prove.

Automated care worker monitoring Some homecare companies have electronic monitoring so care workers can ‘check in’ using their mobile phone or put a pin number into your landline phone.

There is no cost to you when they use this system and it records the exact length of time that your carer has been

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with you. This system also helps the homecare company to highlight any missed calls and reduces the risk of this happening.

How can Bluebird Care help?

Top 10 key questions to ask when choosing a Homecare company

Bluebird Care is a leading national homecare provider, with an award-winning local office. It specialises in working with customers and their families who require care in their own homes - offering a unique service of tailored care visits from 15 minutes to full live-in support.

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For people who don’t want to approach Social Care services regarding their own care or that of a loved one, Bluebird Care’s care manager will visit the person in their own home (or hospital) to better understand the requirements and answer any questions (including the 10 mentioned). They will also discuss funding options and put in place a Care Plan to ensure the person remains safe and as independent as possible in their own home.

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The ethos of Bluebird Care is ‘Good Old-Fashioned Service’ with a “can do” attitude, which has been built around a passion to deliver high-quality care and an excellent level of service. Its aim is to allow customers to maintain their independence and dignity by putting together a bespoke care package, which allows them to remain in their own homes safely and holistically for as long as possible.

Bluebird Care managing director Anne Inglis said: “Choosing the right type of care can be a minefield, but by choosing Bluebird Care you can be assured that care is provided by a highly-professional, yet caring organisation with specially trained staff. We are an established local company and well-regarded employer.

“We pride ourselves on providing the sort of care we would give our own loved ones and employ carers who go the extra mile to provide outstanding care for their customers and a personal level of support.“

Can the company provide the care needed, and have they provided care before for someone with similar needs?

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How will the company and staff respect your privacy and dignity?

Have they taken the time to understand your personal likes and dislikes?

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How do they match the most suitable care worker to your needs? Will they arrive at the time you have requested. Will you always have the same person caring for you. What happens if they are sick or go on holiday?

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What charges will you be expected to pay? Is there a minimum charge? And how you will be invoiced?

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Is the company insured to protect your safety and interests?

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Do all care workers undergo a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check before being employed? And what ongoing training do they receive?

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Does the company have a copy of its latest inspection report available for you to look at?

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Can the company be contacted outside office hours or in an emergency?

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Will the company give you a copy of their standard contract to read before signing?

CARE VISITS AT HOME Good Old Fashioned Service

Bluebird Care (Slough, South Bucks & South Wycombe) 31 Summers Road, Burnham SL1 7EP. Telephone: 01628 605 797 www.bluebirdcare.co.uk

What we offer We offer everything from personal care to shopping, cleaning or social visits.

In fact everything you need to stay in the comfort of your own home.

Alternative Bluebird Care offers a realistic cost effective alternative to residential care.

With familiar friends, relatives and possessions around, Bluebird Care ‘just happens’.

Our staff Our staff are caring, trained to give medication and police checked.

Find us on Facebook & Twitter

www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

39

WHISTLE ON

BLOW THE HOUSING WHISTLE ON CHEATS

HOUSING BLOW THE

NRP REFEREE-RBC-A42.pdf 1 10/05/2012 13:28

CHEATS WHISTLE ON When somebody with a council or housing association home rents it out

without permission or obtains a home through providing false information, they

When somebody with a council or not fair. housing association home rents it out If you suspect someone of unlawfully sub-letting without permission or obtains a home call us on 0500 500 777 or through providing false information, report online www.reading.gov.uk/fraud Your report will be treated in the strictest confidence and can be given anonymously. they are guilty of housing fraud. They are using up valuable housing spaces and depriving families and vulnerable people on the waiting list. It’s not fair.

© CROWN COPYRIGHT 2009. Copyright in the content, design and typographical arrangement rests with the Crown.

are guilty of housing fraud. They are using up valuable housing spaces and depriving families and vulnerable people on the waiting list. It’s

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When somebody with a council or housing association home rents it out

without permission or obtains a home through providing false information, they are guilty of housing fraud. They are using up valuable housing spaces and depriving families and vulnerable people on the waiting list. It’s

not fair.

If you suspect someone of unlawfully sub-letting

0500 500 777 or report online www.reading.gov.uk/fraud call us on

Your report will be treated in the strictest confidence and can be given anonymously.

HOUSING

CHEATS If you suspect someone of unlawfully sub-letting call us

When somebody with a council or housing association home rents it out

T U O K A SPE IF Y

NS SPICIO U S E V OU HA

Your report will be treated in the are guilty of housing fraud. They are using up valuable housing spaces and strictest confidence and can be given depriving families and vulnerable people on the waiting list. It’s not fair. anonymously.

If you suspect someone of unlawfully sub-letting call us on 0500 500 777 or report online www.reading.gov.uk/fraud

without permission or obtains a home through providing false information, they

Your report will be treated in the strictest confidence and can be given anonymously.

We are committed to fighting fraudulent activity The Blue Badge (Disabled Parking) Scheme currently has around 2.5m badges issued Nationally, to eligible applicants.

Blue Badge fraud is estimated to cost the UK £46 million per year!

The Investigation Team are committed to fighting fraudulent activity but need your help to do so!

If you suspect someone of committing Blue Badge fraud please call us in confidence.

CALL 0500 500 777 or report online www.reading.gov.uk/fraud